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Don’t be simplistic, Tharman

Yesterday, the PAP circles were jubilant in sharing DPM Tharman’s ‘words of wisdom‘ in defence of PAP’s authoritarian fascism.

But look how WP member and NUS sociology professor, Dr Daniel Goh, remarked on the alleged fanaticism over Tharman’s grand performance, egged on by none other than George Yeo-owned, pro-PAP mothership.sg‘s sensational article singing full praises for the minister and his wonderful defence of the Singapore system which said the BBC presenter who hard-talked Tharman got “sucker punched”.

In the meantime, we leave it to our readers to watch the whole video themselves to decide who won the debate, or if anyone even won.

No lah, not sucker punched. But I know what Martino Tan is implying because I was damn proud of Singapore listening to DPM Tharman at St Gallen. Hell yeah, give it to them Singapore bashers of the old imperial conceit.

The interview is a must-see, for understanding the direction of how at least one half of our Leviathan is trying to move towards, which is not bad at all. Our state is in two minds, maybe three, and here is the much better one of the lot.

DPM said, “we’re achieving a paradox of active government support for personal responsibility, rather than active government support to take over personal responsibility or community responsibility.”

This I find too much of a simplistic caricature of the Singapore model versus the decadent West. Government for the people versus government of the people.

Sometimes active government support for personal responsibility is wiser, sometimes active government to take over personal responsibility is required, paradoxically, for the personal responsibility to be realised.

Only a government by the people can tell us when’s what, not even the esteemed DPM.